Retriever Alum and Current UMBC Track and Field Coach David Bobb Named to Big South All-Decade Team

May 07, 2014

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Retriever alum and current UMBC track and field head coach David Bobb (Silver Spring, Md./High Point) has been selected to the Big South Conference All-Decade Men's Outdoor Track and Field Team for the years 1994-1999, the conference office announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Bobb is one of eight sprinters named to the team after he swept the 100m and 200m dash events in back-to-back years (1994 and 1995) as a freshman and sophomore.

Bobb still holds two school outdoor records (100m Dash – 10.18; 200m Dash – 20.63) at UMBC, while holding a spot on three school record relay teams (4x100, 4x200, Sprint Medley). He holds the UMBC record for the indoor 55m dash (6.15), 60m dash (6.72), and 200m dash (20.85). In 1997, Bobb set the track record at UMBC Stadium in the 100m dash with a time of 10.25.

In 1996, the Silver Spring, Md. native became the first Retriever in program history to reach the NCAA Championships, earning a bronze medal in the 55m and 200m dash events at the indoor meet. Just a few months later, Bobb advanced to the outdoor championships as well, racing in the 200m dash.

The next season, Bobb replicated his feat, gaining a spot at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championship events. At the outdoor meet, he was the top American finisher in the 100m dash, winning a silver medal in the competition. He also qualified for the finals of the 200m race to earn his fifth All-America honor.

Bobb has served as the Retrievers' head coach for the past 16 years, taking over for his mentor Jim Pfrogner. Since that time, Bobb has overseen a program with five NCAA competitors, the latest, senior Andrew Smith, competing in the 800m run this past February at the national meet in Albuquerque, N.M. Last season, Mercedes Jackson advanced to the NCAA indoor meet for the 60m dash, and then was joined at the outdoor championships by Vincent Rentzsch, marking the first time in program history that two Retrievers qualified for the same meet.

Each of the past two years (2013 and 2014), Bobb has led the UMBC men to a second-place finish at the America East Outdoor Championships and was rewarded as he and his staff were named the Coaching Staff of the Year. He also earned the honor following the 2006 indoor championships as well as receiving the accolades on the women's side at the 2013 indoor meet.

The Big South Conference is celebrating its 30th Anniversary during the 2013-14 academic year. The All-Decade Teams are determined by a voting panel of administrators with fan voting accounting for 20-percent of the results.